Coseley
Encyclopedia
Coseley is a town located mostly within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
in the English
West Midlands
. Part of the Black Country
, it lies south east of Wolverhampton
and north of Dudley
.
Coseley railway station
is on the West Coast Main Line
and is served by London Midland
. It is within the Bilston
WV14 and Tipton DY4 postal districts.
of Sedgley
. In 1867, it, with the village areas of Brierley, Woodsetton, and Ettingshall, broke away from the parish of Sedgley and, together, formed Lower Sedgley Local Board District. In 1875, the name was changed to Coseley Local Board District by order of the Council and, in 1895, became Coseley Urban District
. At this stage, most of the Coseley area was occupied by industrial and agricultural land.
Coseley Urban District Council built several thousand council houses and flats over a 40-year period from the mid-1920s which changed the face of the area. Most of these were built around Woodcross, Lanesfield, Wallbrook and Brierley.
1966 saw some of the urban district become part of Dudley County Borough, and since 1974 has been part of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
. However, the north of the Brierley area (pron. "Brearley" not to be confused with Brierley Hill
), and most of the Ettingshall
area were incorporated into Wolverhampton
County Borough instead, while a smaller area (the south of the Brierley area) bordering Tipton
was transferred into the expanded borough of West Bromwich
, in turn becoming part of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough in 1974. This area has been designated as being part of the town of Tipton rather than Coseley since 1966.
The Coseley Urban District Council Offices were opened in 1897 on the corner of Green Street and School Street, and remained in that building until the dissolution of Coseley Urban District Council in April 1966. They were demolished in about 1970.
Coseley has been served by a railway station since 1852, although the station didn't move to its current site until 1902. For more than 150 years, the people of Coseley have had a direct rail link to Birmingham
and Wolverhampton
.
The town centre gained a cinema
, on the corner of Mason Street and Birmingham New Road, during the 1930s
, part of the Clifton chain, but this closed in January 1963 as a result of the postwar decline in cinema audiences brought on by the rising popularity of home television. The building was later demolished and a veterinary surgery now occupies the site.
Since 1927, Coseley has also had a direct road link with Birmingham and Wolverhampton. The Birmingham New Road, a dual carriageway, was laid out at this time and on its completion was one of the finest new roads in the area, although it has become plagued with traffic congestion in recent years.
Bean Cars
opened a factory at Coseley in 1919, with another being in operation at Dudley. The new factory was situated in the south-east of the town near the border with Tipton, and a subsequent second phase of the factory (at the other side of a now-defunct railway line) was actually situated in Tipton. Bean ceased production of passenger cars in 1929, and for the next two years switched to commercial vehicles. After 1931, Bean switched ventures again - this time to making car parts. It was a key supplier for the largest independent British carmaker - British Motor Corporation
, British Leyland, Austin Rover, Rover Group
and most recently MG Rover - until the business closed due to financial problems in late 2005. The Tipton part of the Bean site was demolished shortly afterwards and developed for housing, but the Coseley section was not demolished until the summer of 2008. The land has yet to be developed.
Cannon Industries, famous for producing gas and electric cookers, was based in Coseley from 1861 until the closure of its Havacre Lane factory in 1993. However, the bulk of the factory buildings were retained as Cannon Business Park, a mix of industrial and commercial ventures.
The main "high street" in Coseley is Castle Street. Most of the current buildings have been built since the 1960s. A by-pass was opened on 23 August 1989, incorporating a widened section of Green Street to relieve congestion in the town centre.
Coseley is served by Coseley railway station
, formerly called Deepfields & Coseley Station. It is situated on the West Coast Main Line
, and the station is in between and stations. Bus services travel to Sedgley, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Tipton and Bilston on a regular week day schedule.
club was started in Coseley which competes in the West Midlands Volleyball League. Coseley Volleyball Club initially trained and played matches at Dudley Leisure Centre, but from February 25, 2007 moved to Coseley Leisure Centre.
Coseley also has a cricket club which has been in existence on a site on Church Road since 1870. They currently have 3 teams playing in the Staffs Club Championship on a Saturday and two teams that play in the Worcester Borders Sunday League. A Youth section has also been recently introduced.
Coseley Swimming Pool closed in August 2009, after a report by engineers found that roof was structurally unsound and would require repairs estimated by the council to be in excess of £1m.
Football teams included Image Wheel Kestrels F.C. who use to play at Highfields primary school, clayton park and Cannon Drive Coseley between 2002-2008 and competed in the Bilston partnership youth football league and the Stourbridge youth league. At its high point Image had six teams from under 10's up to the adults team which competed in the dudley and cradley heath football league
Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
. Part of the Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
, it lies south east of Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
and north of Dudley
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
.
Coseley railway station
Coseley railway station
Coseley railway station is located in the Coseley area of the borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. It is situated on the West Coast Main Line. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by London Midland.- History :...
is on the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
and is served by London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
. It is within the Bilston
Bilston
Bilston is a town in the English county of West Midlands, situated in the southeastern corner of the City of Wolverhampton. Three wards of Wolverhampton City Council cover the town: Bilston East and Bilston North, which almost entirely comprise parts of the historic Borough of Bilston, and...
WV14 and Tipton DY4 postal districts.
History
Coseley was originally a village area in the ancient manorManorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Sedgley
Sedgley
Sedgley is an urban village within the West Midlands county of England. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Sedgley was formerly an ancient manor composed of several smaller villages, including Gornal, Gospel End, Woodsetton, Ettingshall, Coseley and Brierley...
. In 1867, it, with the village areas of Brierley, Woodsetton, and Ettingshall, broke away from the parish of Sedgley and, together, formed Lower Sedgley Local Board District. In 1875, the name was changed to Coseley Local Board District by order of the Council and, in 1895, became Coseley Urban District
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
. At this stage, most of the Coseley area was occupied by industrial and agricultural land.
Coseley Urban District Council built several thousand council houses and flats over a 40-year period from the mid-1920s which changed the face of the area. Most of these were built around Woodcross, Lanesfield, Wallbrook and Brierley.
1966 saw some of the urban district become part of Dudley County Borough, and since 1974 has been part of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
. However, the north of the Brierley area (pron. "Brearley" not to be confused with Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill is a town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. It is one of the larger Black Country towns with a population of 9,631 and is heavily industrialised, best known for glass and steel manufacturing, although the industry has declined...
), and most of the Ettingshall
Ettingshall
Ettingshall is an area of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England, and is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council.-History:Ettingshall was mentioned as an ancient manor in the Domesday Book of 1086...
area were incorporated into Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
County Borough instead, while a smaller area (the south of the Brierley area) bordering Tipton
Tipton
Tipton is a town in the Sandwell borough of the West Midlands, England, with a population of around 47,000. Tipton is located about halfway between Birmingham and Wolverhampton. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is a part of the Black Country....
was transferred into the expanded borough of West Bromwich
West Bromwich
West Bromwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands, England. It is north west of Birmingham lying on the A41 London-to-Birkenhead road. West Bromwich is part of the Black Country...
, in turn becoming part of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough in 1974. This area has been designated as being part of the town of Tipton rather than Coseley since 1966.
The Coseley Urban District Council Offices were opened in 1897 on the corner of Green Street and School Street, and remained in that building until the dissolution of Coseley Urban District Council in April 1966. They were demolished in about 1970.
Coseley has been served by a railway station since 1852, although the station didn't move to its current site until 1902. For more than 150 years, the people of Coseley have had a direct rail link to Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
.
The town centre gained a cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
, on the corner of Mason Street and Birmingham New Road, during the 1930s
1930s
File:1930s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson show the effects of the Great Depression; Due to the economic collapse, the farms become dry and the Dust Bowl spreads through America; The Battle of Wuhan during the Second Sino-Japanese...
, part of the Clifton chain, but this closed in January 1963 as a result of the postwar decline in cinema audiences brought on by the rising popularity of home television. The building was later demolished and a veterinary surgery now occupies the site.
Since 1927, Coseley has also had a direct road link with Birmingham and Wolverhampton. The Birmingham New Road, a dual carriageway, was laid out at this time and on its completion was one of the finest new roads in the area, although it has become plagued with traffic congestion in recent years.
Bean Cars
Bean cars
Bean Cars were made in factories in Dudley, Worcestershire, and Coseley, Staffordshire, England, between 1919 and 1929.-Origins:The company traced its origins beck to two auto-industry component suppliers, A Harper and Sons and Bean Ltd., both based in England's Black Country...
opened a factory at Coseley in 1919, with another being in operation at Dudley. The new factory was situated in the south-east of the town near the border with Tipton, and a subsequent second phase of the factory (at the other side of a now-defunct railway line) was actually situated in Tipton. Bean ceased production of passenger cars in 1929, and for the next two years switched to commercial vehicles. After 1931, Bean switched ventures again - this time to making car parts. It was a key supplier for the largest independent British carmaker - British Motor Corporation
British Motor Corporation
The British Motor Corporation, or commonly known as BMC was a vehicle manufacturer from United Kingdom, formed by the merger of the Austin Motor Company and the Nuffield Organisation in 1952...
, British Leyland, Austin Rover, Rover Group
Rover Group
The Rover Group plc was the name given in 1986 to the British state-owned vehicle manufacturer previously known as British Leyland or BL. Owned by British Aerospace from 1988 to 1994, when it was sold to BMW, the Group was broken up in 2000 with the Rover and MG marques being acquired by the MG...
and most recently MG Rover - until the business closed due to financial problems in late 2005. The Tipton part of the Bean site was demolished shortly afterwards and developed for housing, but the Coseley section was not demolished until the summer of 2008. The land has yet to be developed.
Cannon Industries, famous for producing gas and electric cookers, was based in Coseley from 1861 until the closure of its Havacre Lane factory in 1993. However, the bulk of the factory buildings were retained as Cannon Business Park, a mix of industrial and commercial ventures.
The main "high street" in Coseley is Castle Street. Most of the current buildings have been built since the 1960s. A by-pass was opened on 23 August 1989, incorporating a widened section of Green Street to relieve congestion in the town centre.
Transport
Coseley railway station
Coseley railway station is located in the Coseley area of the borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. It is situated on the West Coast Main Line. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by London Midland.- History :...
, formerly called Deepfields & Coseley Station. It is situated on the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
, and the station is in between and stations. Bus services travel to Sedgley, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Tipton and Bilston on a regular week day schedule.
Notable residents
- Thomas BarrattThomas BarrattThomas Barratt VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
- posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross in the First World War. His Victoria Cross is on permanent display at the Museum of the Staffordshire Regiment. - Abraham DarbyAbraham Darby IAbraham Darby I was the first, and most famous, of three generations with that name in an English Quaker family that played an important role in the Industrial Revolution. He developed a method of producing pig iron in a blast furnace fuelled by coke rather than charcoal...
- inventor of the coke fuelled iron blast furnace that started the industrial revolution. - Daniel HuntDaniel HuntDaniel Hunt is the founder member, and principal songwriter/producer of the band Ladytron. He is a keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter and producer. He also DJ's around the world both solo and with other band members...
- Classical and Jazz pianist. - Kelly GroucuttKelly GroucuttKelly Groucutt , born Michael William Groucutt, was an English musician who was best known for being the bass player for the band Electric Light Orchestra , between 1974 and 1983. He was born in Coseley, West Midlands.-Early career:Groucutt began his musical career at 15 as Rikki Storm of Rikki...
- the late bass-guitarist/singer from the band Electric Light OrchestraElectric Light OrchestraElectric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
(ELO). - Joseph NicholdsJoseph NicholdsJoseph Nicholds was a player of the keyed bugle and a composer of sacred music, today known as West gallery music.-Early life:Nicholds was born in Coseley around 1785, and worked as a limestone-breaker in the Deepfields iron furnaces nearby...
- nineteenth-century composer of sacred music, best known for his oratorioOratorioAn oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
Babylon. - George AndrewsGeorge Andrews (footballer)George Andrews was an English professional footballer during the 1960s and 1970s. He is probably most notable for scoring Walsall's winning goal in their shock FA Cup third round victory over Newcastle United in January 1975.-Career:Andrews began his career as an apprentice with Luton Town in the...
- former WalsallWalsall F.C.Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
, Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury Town F.C.Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
and Cardiff CityCardiff City F.C.Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
footballer.
Sports facilities
In October 2006, a volleyballVolleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
club was started in Coseley which competes in the West Midlands Volleyball League. Coseley Volleyball Club initially trained and played matches at Dudley Leisure Centre, but from February 25, 2007 moved to Coseley Leisure Centre.
Coseley also has a cricket club which has been in existence on a site on Church Road since 1870. They currently have 3 teams playing in the Staffs Club Championship on a Saturday and two teams that play in the Worcester Borders Sunday League. A Youth section has also been recently introduced.
Coseley Swimming Pool closed in August 2009, after a report by engineers found that roof was structurally unsound and would require repairs estimated by the council to be in excess of £1m.
Football teams included Image Wheel Kestrels F.C. who use to play at Highfields primary school, clayton park and Cannon Drive Coseley between 2002-2008 and competed in the Bilston partnership youth football league and the Stourbridge youth league. At its high point Image had six teams from under 10's up to the adults team which competed in the dudley and cradley heath football league
Neighbourhoods
- Roseville - central area of Coseley which is situated on the main Birmingham New Road (opened in 1927). Local landmarks include Silver Jubilee Park, St Chad's Church, the Old Windmill and Coseley Canal Tunnel.
- Hurst Hill - situated in the west of Coseley near the border with Sedgley, contains many housing types of different ages.
- Wallbrook - situated in the east of Coseley near the border with Tipton.
- Highfields Estate - situated in the north of Coseley near the border with Bilston, and was mostly developed between 1920 and 1970.
- Foxyards Estate - a housing estate in the south of Coseley on land which straddled the border with TiptonTiptonTipton is a town in the Sandwell borough of the West Midlands, England, with a population of around 47,000. Tipton is located about halfway between Birmingham and Wolverhampton. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is a part of the Black Country....
. It was mostly developed in the mid 1960s. Foxyards Primary School has served the estate since 1971. George AndrewsGeorge Andrews (footballer)George Andrews was an English professional footballer during the 1960s and 1970s. He is probably most notable for scoring Walsall's winning goal in their shock FA Cup third round victory over Newcastle United in January 1975.-Career:Andrews began his career as an apprentice with Luton Town in the...
, who scored Walsall FC'sWalsall F.C.Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
winning goal against Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United F.C.Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in a 1975 FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
giant-killing feat, lives on the estate. - Deepfields - Area of Coseley near the Coseley school. Local landmarks include coseley school, Coseley Station (previously Coseley and Deepfields), Christ Church and Coseley tunnel North portal. The first bridge Wolverhampton-side of the tunnel is named 'Deepfields footbridge'
Former secondary schools in Coseley
- Mount Pleasant Senior School - was a secondary schoolSecondary schoolSecondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
built in 1913. The school was merged into the new Coseley School in 1969 and survived as that school's annex until July 1972, but the buildings have been used since March 1992 as the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley's records office and archive service. - Manor Secondary School - opened in 1933, on Ettingshall Road in the Woodcross area of the town, which was then in its first stages of development, growing rapidly after the end of World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.However, the growth of the surrounding area after 1945 put pressure on places at the Manor, and by the late 1950s Coseley UDC had decided to build a new secondary modern school on Lawnswood Avenue in the extreme north of the town. The school, Parkfield Secondary Modern School, opened in April 1962 (with infant and junior pupils aged 5-11 occupying the old Manor school buildings from September that year). The school came under control of Wolverhampton council as a result of boudnary changes in April 1966 and survives to this day as the South Wolverhampton and Bilston AcademySouth Wolverhampton and Bilston AcademySouth Wolverhampton and Bilston Academy is a city academy serving the town of Bilston and the southern area of the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands of England. Its current head teacher is Mrs Kerry Inscker...
.
Current primary schools in Coseley
- Christchurch Primary School - has one of the oldest school buildings in Dudley Borough, which is still used as a school, dating from the 19th century.
- Foxyards Primary School - situated on the Foxyards Estate, it was built in 1971 to serve the new Foxyards housing estate and its surrounding area. The first head teacher was Joseph Jones. Jones retired in about 1985 to be succeeded by Mr David Cox, the former deputy head of Cotwall End Primary SchoolCotwall End Primary SchoolCotwall End Primary School is a primary school for boys and girls in Sedgley, West Midlands, England. There are approximately 420 pupils on the school roll. The school's head teacher is Mrs Nicole Anderton.-History:...
in Sedgley. Mr Cox was seconded to the local authority in September 1989 for an academic year, during which time Mrs Evans was acting head teacher. Mr Cox finally left in March 1999 to become head of Alder Coppice Primary in Sedgley. Mrs Pam Greenhalgh was acting head of one term before the appointment of Mrs Sandra O'Gorman, who has been at the helm ever since. Foxyards was built as a one-form entry school for pupils aged from 4 to 11 years, and a nursery unit was added in the mid-1980s. Due to a growing demand for places which saw more than 40 pupils in some year groups, it changed from one-form entry to vertical streaming (up to three classes in two years) in the early 1990s. There are still some mixed age classes in the school, and a new building at the school was opened in 2007 to accommodate growing pupil numbers. - Hurst Hill Primary School - opened in November 1986 on a new site on Paul Street, it was formed from a merger of St Mary's Primary School and Mount Pleasant Primary School. The school's first head was Mr Harvey, with his deputy Mr Eric Tibble. Mr Tibble became head some years later on Mr Harvey's retirement and was finally succeeded himself by Mrs Joy Powell. The school was officially opened on 2 March 1987 by Neil KinnockNeil KinnockNeil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock is a Welsh politician belonging to the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995 and as Labour Leader and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition from 1983 until 1992 - his leadership of the party during nearly nine years making him...
, leader of the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. - Wallbrook Primary School - located in Bradley's Lane, in the east of the town near the border with Tipton. There are an estimated 275 pupils aged from 3 to 11 on the school roll. The majority of Wallbrook pupils move to Coseley School on leaving. The school was established in 1954 under headmaster A R Gowland - who was succeeded by L Clarke. The current head is Mrs C Longden.
Former primary schools in Coseley
- Highfields Primary School - opened in September 1972 as a one-form entry primary school to serve the north-eastern part of Coseley. The last head teacher of the school was Leonard Hazelhurst, appointed in September 2003 to replace Mrs Angela Hambrook. The school closed in July 2006 after Dudley MBC decided that falling numbers on the school roll made it no longer viable, and most of the school's remaining pupils were transferred to Wallbrook Primary School. The building has been retained, however, and since March 2008 has housed Rosewood Special School which relocated from the Russells Hall Estate in Dudley.http://www.dudleynews.co.uk/news/local/2252090.Special_school_in_move_to_new_home/
- Mount Pleasant Primary School - its history can be traced back to October 1879 when a 500-pupil Board School was opened on Mount Pleasant Street by Sedgley School Board. It moved onto a neighbouring site in 1904, with the old infant and junior schools becoming a senior school, but by the early 1980s these buildings were becoming outdated and plans were unveiled to build a new primary school in the area to replace both this and nearby St Mary's Primary School. The school finally closed in November 1986 when Hurst Hill Primary School opened. There were initial plans to retain the Mount Pleasant buildings for community use, but it was ultimately demolished in late 1990 after standing empty for four years. Private housing was built on the site.
- St. Chad's Mixed Infant School - was a Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
school located on Portland Place, at the top of Oak Street near to St. Chad's Church. - St. Mary's Primary School - was a Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
school built during the 19th century to serve the expanding Hurst Hill area of Coseley, and was twinned with the local parish churchParish churchA parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
. Located on Horace Street, it was very outdated by the early 1980s and plans were announced for a new school to be built nearby to replace both St Mary's and Mount Pleasant schools. Hurst Hill Primary School opened in November 1986 as the replacement and the St Mary's buildings were demolished soon afterwards to be redeveloped for private housing.